Decorated laminated product and method of producing same



April 18, 1933.

J. D, CQCHRANE, JR

Filed March 18, 1952 and depth effects vided by suitable coating or impregnati Patented Apr. 18, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT. ornca JOHN D. cocnmn, n... or cmcrmurr, 0 non comm, 01' cmcnman,

I nncona'mn marlin rnonuc'r AND mrrnon or rnonucnm sun! I Application filed lax-ch18, 1982. Serialllo. 598,780.

' color reserbling natural wood;

A further ob ect is to provide an economical and effective method of adjusting the background color of a laminated product independently of the decorated surface thereof. The purposeof the invention is accomplished'by a very simplemethod which possesses great flexibility of operation and enables a great variety of background colors to be produced in such a manner as to render unnecessary the carrying of excessive stocks of materials in process and/or finished products.

The invention is especially useful in products provided with a surface or surfaces imitating the grains of woods. By means of the improved process laminated products having surfaces rivaling the most beautiful natural woods, finished by the most improved methods, may be produ'ced at comparatively small cost.

' The invention involves the principle of applying tion with an opaque layer of pigment lo-v cated at or adjacent the inner surface of a surface-sheet of transparent, or semi-transparent (translucent), character which has its outer surface printed in a suitable design, such as a wood grain. The pigmentlayer may consist of a coating of lightcolored'opaque pigmentffor example, applied to the inner surface of the surfacesheet; or the pigment-layer maybe pro;

a special background sheet (barrier'shee g which lies between the surface-sheet and the under-lying body-sheets, the latter being impregnated with a darkly colored binder,

if desired.- The surface-sheet may be im-- pre inated with a clear binder; and the assem 1y, assuming the use of heat-hardenable binders, may be'consolidated and hardened under heat and pressure.

localized color-zones in associa- The printed design (for example, printed wood-graining) is then viewed against the op ue special background, varied by the loca ized color-zones associated therewith, thus giving a richness of tone not heretofore attainable. Owing to the fact that the print on the outer surface of the surfacesheet is. in a higher plane than the background, depth and perspective -a'i'e attained and flatness of appear-an ,avoided'.

The local color zones at the back of the H10, .ABSIGNOB '10 THE FOB IIOA meom- OHIO, A. CORPORATION OF OHIO surface-sheet serve to give an effect which simulates closely eifects which can be obtamed with some of the best examples of the finer woods, due to staining and/or rubbing (giving depth of color to some of the grains) prlor tion, such as varnishing and rubblng.

to the final finishing opera-.

The binderemployed in producing "the laminated product preferably consists of a heat-hardenable synthetic resin, such as a phenolic condensation product, an urea condensation product, or a furfural condensa-- tion product. r A henolic condensation product, such as bakelite, is quite commonly used in producing laminated products. The sheets to be consolidated to form the laminated product may be impregnated with a solution of bakelite which is potentially reactive; the sheets may be dried and cut to suitable size; and the sheets may then be stacked in a heated hydraulic press and hardened under heat and pressure.

Where a solution of phenolic condensation product is employed as a binder for the bodysheets, the ultimate color of the body of the laminated product usually is such that desirable decorative efiectscannot be produced without employing a specialopaque layer "which is interposed between'the surfacesheet and the bod -sheets. 'Such s ecia" U I opaque layer prefera 1y is light colore as indicated, it may be applied either to the back surface of the surface-sheet, or it may whic I Ody-sheets. In any event,

at,or adjacent e inner surface the surbe applied to a special background sheet is inter sedbetween the surfacesheet and the this special opa ue layer should bedisposed.

Y ployed) may be coated with a solution of about 18% 1.5% of a red pigment toner, about 0.5%

face-sheet. The local color-zones ma be applied to the inner surface of the sur aces eet in cases where the surface-sheet is pigmented and in cases where a special pig merited background sheet is em lo ed; or the local color-zones may be app ie to the outer surface of the special. pigmented background-sheet, if desired.

In providing an opaque light-colored igmentayer the back surface of the sur acesheet may lite, for example, containing a suitable r.- centage of a light-colored igment, suc as white titanium oxide; or t e front surface of the special background sheet (if emakelite containin such pigment; or the background sheet if employed me be im-' pregnated with a solution ofake ite cona suitable pigment. I

tainin percenta of a light colore desire a small percenta' e of a suitable dye may be'introduced into t e solution to produce a-desirable tint. As anex ample, one may'produe a special background sheet of ivory color by impregnating a sheet of paper with a mixture comprising about of white titanium oxide, about of bakelite or bakelite varnish, and approximate] 40% of ethyl alcohol. The-percentage-o the pigment maybeas high as "20% if desired, but preferably should not be lower than 10%, otherwise the opacity of the layer will be undesirably re- .du ced. A small percentage of 7 suitable dyes, or colored pigments may be 'used to -vary the eifect. I I

A purple colored special background sheet, whic is practically opaque, may be produced by impregnating in a similar manner a sheet of paper with a mixture comprising 0 white titanium oxide,- about of a blue pigment toner, and the balance a suitable solution-of bakelite.

The invention is illustra the accompanying drawing, in whi Figure 1 is a broken perspective view of an assembly of sheets adapted to be con- 'solidated to form a laminated product in accordance with the invention, this figure il-. lustrating the a plication of the pigment and also of loca ized zones of color to the inner surface. of a surface-sheet of trans parent character, the outer surface of the surface-sheet being printed in imitation wood-graining; Fig. 2, asimilar broken perspective view, illustrating a modification,

' in which the back surface of the-surfacesheethas applied thereto, localized'color zones, and there is interposed between the surface-sheet andthe body-sheets a special background sheet impregnated with a binder carrying a suitable pigment, preferably of light co or; Fig.3, a similar broken percoated with a solution of bake- .paper is refer spective .view, showing another modification in which, the rear surface of the surfacesheet is uncoated and a special background sheet is interposed between the surface-sheet and the body-sheets, t-he back oundw sheet being impregnated with a bin er carrying a percentage of pigment and a special background" sheet having applied thereto localized color-zones; Fig. 4 an edge view of a laminated product produced in accordanaa with any of the modifications illustrated;

and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modi-' .fication of the product.

In the illustration given in Fig. 1,1

nates a stack of body-sheets which may be assumed to have been impregnated with an desigordinary solution of bakelitefifor example,

and dried; and 2 designates a surface-sheet ihavin its outer surface printed in a suitable esign, such as wood-graining indicatedat 2; having its inner surface coated with an opaque-pigment, preferably light in color,- the opaque coatingextending over the whole inner surface of the sheet and being designated 2"; and having localized color-zones 2 which may be spaced in any desired relation to each other, each colorzone itself varying in degree of'color, if

desired. 7

The surface-sheet may be of any suitable fabric, such as light-colored paper or lightcolored thin cloth silk, or the like, although in producin wood-gram nated with a clear solution of a sultabe binder, such as, a clear solution of bakelite.

e solution may, however, contain a very small percentage of a suitable dye, if dey sired.

QThe impre ating of the surface-sheet 2 with a clear 'akelite solution preferably is performed after the'surface printin (woodgraining has been applied; and t e application 0 the pigment and the application of'the localized color-zones preferably are applied to the inner surface of the sheet 2 an however.

The assembly shown in Fig. 1 maybe consolidated under heat and pressure,'say

sequently to the printing von the outer, surface aud the dipping of the sheet in the a :clear solution of bakelite. I The-order of the steps may be varied in any suitable manner,

no. i

a 'tem rature of in the neighborhood of 175 and a pressure of 1000 to 2000 pounds per square inch, the consolidating operation being continued until the binder has been transformed into thefinal infusible and v substantially insoluble condition. Usually a period of fifteen minutes to fortyfive minutes is desirable, depending upon the product to be made.

In the modification shown in Fig. 2, 3

designates a stack of body-sheets; 4 designates a special back-ground sheet; and 5 designates a surface-sheet.

In this modification, the bod -sheets may be assumed to be sheets whic have been impregnated with an ordinary solution of bakelite and dried.

The special background sheet 4 may be assumed to have been impregnated with a solution of bakelite having suspendedtherein a suitable percentage of pigment say 15 or 20% of white titanium oxide. The film of pigment should cover the whole area of the special background sheet. It is indicated by stippling, designated 4.

The surface-sheet 5 is shown provided on its". outer surface with a printed design 5 (imitation wood-grain); and the inner surfaceof the surface-sheet is shown provided with localized color-zones, designated 5 s the product has been consolidated by heat and pressure.

3 In the modification illustrated in Fig. 3,

the stack of body-sheets is desi nated 6; the special background sheet is esignated 7; and the surface-sheet is designated 8.

In this example, the outer surface of the surface-sheet bears a printed design 8, and the inner surface 'ofthe surface-sheet is unpigmented and unprovided with localized color-zones.

The special background sheet 7 is provided with a coating of opaque pigment 7, indicated'by light stippling. This pigment should extend throughout the area of the special background sheet. The special background sheet is also provided with localized color-zones? Thus, the pigment of the sheet 7 and the localized color-zones'of said sheet are located adjacent the back surface of the surface-sheet 8. It is understood, of course, that the sheets 7 and 8 are impregnated with a suitable binder such as bakelite, the binder of the surface-sheet being of suitable character to render the surfacesheet transparent or semi-transparent after the consolidating operation.

In Fig. 5 is shown a further combination. The surface sheet is provided with a pigment as in Fig. 1, but is not provided with color zones,'the latter being provided on the the ackground omitted.

The localized color-zones, may, in any case sheet can of course 'be be a 'plied to the sheet by spraying,'or in gated a'ppearance. However after the consolidating operation under heat and pressure, there is a certain blending of all colors, which eliminates any undesirable result, so that the final effect is the imitation, with true fidelity, .of the best examples of the approved methods. v

The surface-sheet may be of the same area as the special background sheet and the body-sheets; or, the surface-sheet may be of less area than the background sheet (if employed), and of lessarea than the bod sheets, as shown in Fig. 5. If-desired, t e surface-sheet ma be cut away, skeletonized or given any deslred contour to produce any deslrable design. This is particularl feasible where the back surface of the sur ace-sheet is coated with the opaque pigment, and where the body-sheets are given a solid dark color (ebony, for example), in which case finer woods finished according to the mosta beautiful inlay eifect may be produced, the

inlay design being according to any fancy of the designer.

background" sheet. 'The other pigment in Anybinder suited to the purpose may be employed in the practice of the invention, and any suitable order of steps may be employed in producing the laminated product having adecorative surface in accordance with the invention.

As an example of the process in producing a product having a decorative surface imitating a specific wood, the following may be stated: A special background sheet having an opaque pigmented ivory colored surface may be applied to a stack of ordinary v impregnated body sheets; a surface-sheet of transparent character having its outer surface printed in imitation of a mahogany grain and having localized zones of color applied to its inner surface may be superimposed upon the backgroundsheet; and when such a composite stack of sheets is consolidated under heat and pressure, the effect is to produce a laminated product having abackground color, contrasting in some zones with the surface wood-grain print, and in other zones deepening or intensifying the graining effect, the whole simulating the depth effect, zone-like in character, which occurs naturally ;in some of the best examples of the finer woods.

By employing a surface-sheet which is transparent, or semi-transparent (translucent) in character, the effect of depth or perspective is obtained, after the consolidating operation, due to the fact that the printed or grained surface is on a higher plane than the localized zones of color,

whether these localized zones be on the back of the surface-sheet or be ona pigmented special background sheet.

The vfinest gradations in tones can be produced by varying the colors and grains employed, it being noted that the ultimate ground sheets.

impregnated, dried body-sheets ma be carried in -stock;' a limited quantit o grained surface-sheets adapted to the lmitation of .various kinds of woods may be carried in stock; and a limited quantity of pigmented background sheets colored-or tinted to give desired effects may be carried in stock; and laminated products may be produced by an appropriate selection of the sheets which .are to enter into the assembly, as desired.

Any suitable coloring materials may be employed for producing the localized colorzones mentioned above. Thus, suitable dyes, suitable inks, or solutions containin colored pigments in suspension, as desire may beemployed. The application of the color-zones may be effected in any suitable manner.

A possible further modification, decidedly less desirable, however, is to apply a very thin pigment coating to the inner surface of thejs'urface-shee't and rather heavy local ized color zones to a sheet beneath the surface-sheet,thus permitting some color from said zones to show through the pigmentlayer.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding a only, and no unnecessarylimitations should be understood therefrom, but the'appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible, in view of the prior art.

Thus a" suitable stock of What I regard as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: a

1. In the manufacture of laminated prod ucts having decorative surfaces, the method which comprises: consolidating under heat and pressure body-sheets impregnated with a binder, a surface-sheet of transparent character impregnated with a clear'binder and having a printed design on its outer surface, and an opaque pigment-layer between the body-slieets and the surface-sheet and localized color-zones associated therewith, forming a special background for said printed design.

.2. A process as set forth in claim 1, in which t e opaglue pigment-layer employed is relatively lig t in color andthe'bod undelrlying said pigment-layer is of a di erent co or.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1, as.

practiced by ap lying localized color-zones to the inner sur ace of the surface-sheet.

4. A method as set forth in claim '1, as practiced by applying the localized colorzones and the pigment-layer to a special background sheet inter osed between the surface-sheet and the bo y-sheets.

5. A method asset forth in claim 1, as practiced by applying the coating of pig-' ment to the inner surface of the surfacesheet.

6. The rocess asset forth in claim 1, as practiced y applying a pigment coating and also localized color-zones to the inner sur face of the surface-sheet.

acterized by producing the pigment-layer by applying a coating of pigment to the inner surface of the surface-sheet and further characterized by applying the localized color-zones to a background sheet interposed between the surface-sheet and the bodysheets.

8. A process as set forth in claim 1, char- ,acterized by said surface-sheet being of lesser area than the area of the body-sheets. 9. A process as set forth in claim 1, in which the binders employed are heat-hardenable binders adapted to be transformed to the infusible and substantially insoluble state during the consolidating operation.

. 10. A laminated product having adecorative surface, comprising: body-sheets of fabric impregnated with a heat-hardenable binder; a surface-sheet of transparent character having a printed design on its outer surface, said surface-sheet being impregnated with a'clear heat-hardenable binder;

and an opaque pigment-layer and associated localized zones of coloring materials interposed between said surface-sheet and bodyisheets-all of said sheets being consolidated together under heat and pressure and the heat-hardenable binder being in the final in-' fusible and substantially insoluble condition.

v I 100, 7. A method asset forth in claim 1, chari which and opaque 11. A product as relatlveig menblayer y of the JOHN D. oocmmm, J2.-

specified in 10, in 

